TITLE:
Reproductive Health Experiences and Unmet Needs among Male Patients with Rheumatic Diseases: A Cross-Sectional Study from Kuwait
AUTHORS:
Ghaydaa Aldabie, Anwar Albasri, Mohammad Khudadah, Noura Alforaih, Dalal Alkhudair
KEYWORDS:
Rheumatic Diseases, Male Reproductive Health, Fertility Counseling, Family Planning, Patient-Physician Communication
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Biosciences and Medicines,
Vol.14 No.5,
May
12,
2026
ABSTRACT: Introduction: Reproductive health in rheumatic diseases has been predominantly studied in women, leaving a critical gap in understanding the needs of male patients. Data on reproductive counseling, patient knowledge, and barriers to care among men with rheumatic diseases remain limited, particularly in the Middle East. This study aimed to evaluate patient-reported reproductive health experiences, counseling practices, and perceived barriers among male patients with rheumatic diseases in Kuwait. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional, web-based survey of male patients with rheumatic diseases attending outpatient rheumatology clinics at government hospitals in Kuwait between October 2024 and December 2025. Eligible participants were adults aged 18 years or older with a confirmed diagnosis of a rheumatic disease. A structured 22-item questionnaire assessed demographic and clinical characteristics, reproductive intentions, knowledge of disease- and treatment-related risks, and experiences with reproductive health counseling. Descriptive analyses were performed to evaluate differences in counseling experiences across patient subgroups. Results: Among 170 participants (mean age 43.9 years ± 11.5 years), most were married (79.4%), employed (71.2%), and had children (93.7%). The mean disease duration was 9.6 years ± 8.2 years, and inflammatory arthritis was the predominant disease category (76.5%). Despite high prior fatherhood, 52.4% of participants expressed a desire for future paternity. Substantial knowledge gaps were identified, with concerns regarding disease transmission to offspring (24.7%), the impact of disease and medications on parenting ability (24.7% and 27.2%, respectively), and potential disease- and treatment-related risks of birth defects (22.2% and 17.3%, respectively). Reproductive health counseling was infrequent. Only 26.5% and 25.3% of participants reported discussing the impact of disease and medications on reproductive health with their rheumatologist, respectively, and 17.1% reported physician-initiated family planning discussions. In contrast, patient-initiated discussions occurred in 30.0% of participants. Key barriers to communication included discomfort discussing reproductive health (34.1%), perceived lack of physician engagement (24.7%), and cultural constraints (8.8%). Conclusion: Male patients with rheumatic diseases in Kuwait experience substantial unmet reproductive health needs, characterized by limited counseling, knowledge gaps, and communication barriers. These findings highlight a critical gap in rheumatology care and strongly support the integration of structured, culturally sensitive reproductive health counseling into routine clinical practice.